Women and the severely handicapped ... Reflections on the negotiations about appointments to a chair

Negotiations about the appointment to a chair are taboo. After a 27-year pr ofessorship and a 4-year dean's term of office, I face up to some questions from an admittedly subjective and restricted Austrian point of view: Do we really choose the best candidates or is it often a lobby which decides irr espective of the personal responsibility of the commission members? Do thei r large number and their knowledge allow an assessment of performance? Is t he impact factor or the clinical experience in the centre of the discussion ? Are there equal opportunities for colleagues with an oncological or gynae cological background? Was the institution of a working group for questions concerning equality of female candidates any good?